You throw the ball. You catch the ball. You hit the ball…Of course, baseball fans know that this line from Bull Durham is far from true, part of the humor of the movie and a huge part of the fun of the game. This blog is a space to talk about baseball, being a baseball fan, all of those things that make the game fun and the Angels, because they make baseball fun for me.

Hot and Cold Stove

As much as I would like to be posting this evening with stellar Angels signing/trade news, there is still no real news to report. Granted, the reports of all the guys we’re supposedly in talks with are coming faster and faster on each others’ heels – Carl Crawford, Adrian Beltre, even Rafael Soriano. Yes please. Yes please. And, hey, if we can afford him too and he doesn’t succumb to the usual Angels closer curse – well, he had career seasons for the two years before Tony signed him, I just don’t know what happened – yes please to him too. Why not. If you’re going to dream, dream big. And those are just the reports we have a reason to take seriously. Depending on who you’re reading, supposedly, we’re also talking to Jayson Werth, A.J. Pierzynski (because we really need another catcher), and Cliff Lee, among others. Heck, if you looked hard enough, someone probably has a “hot tip from an MLB insider” that Tony Reagins is in talks with Big Foot as a potential 3rd base option… Although…he probably swings a pretty big bat wouldn’t you think? Anyone know what his stats are against lefties?

None of this is to say that Hot Stove hasn’t been interesting so far…for a variety of definitions of interesting. I am very happy for the Dodgers. The Dodgers are kind of like an amiable ex-boyfriend for me. We weren’t right for one another but we parted ways on good terms and I always wish them well…except during the Freeway Series, of course. I was worried that in the middle of the ongoing divorce proceedings between Mommy Dearest and the king of all deadbeat baseball dads, the Dodgers would be left out of the trading season all together. Quite the contrary, they have been very busy so far. I think Uribe will be a great addition to the team, at 2nd for now with today’s trading of Theriot and with great options down the road for short and/or 3rd if Furcael spends another season on and off the DL and/or when Casey Blake’s contract is up. He wasn’t cheap, but it’s not like there are any great bargains out there this year.

I was surprised the Tigers were able to pounce so quickly on Victor Martinez, I expected that one to be more drawn out. They wanted another big bat and they certainly got one. I am interested to see what if any moves they make later in the off season.

I am perplexed at the way the Yankees are dealing with Derek Jeter. Of course they were going to negotiate. Players always want more than teams want to pay – this is true of employers and employees everywhere. But does anyone honestly believe that the Yankees want to let Derek Jeter go any more than he wants to leave? So what happened here and who thought the front office arguing this out in the media would be a good idea? The front office comments sound childish and pouty. Yankee fans don’t like it. Non Yankees baseball fans don’t seem to like it much either and it can’t be good for team morale. They will probably settle for the same amount they would have settled for without all of this upheaval so what was the upside here? Obviously bad PR decisions catch my attention.

The courting of Cliff Lee, on the other hand, amuses me to no end, partially because of how coy many of the suitors are trying to be and partially the degree to which the media are being anything but. Cliff Lee watch day 27! Breaking news: Cliff Lee signs…up for DirecTv. It’s definitely my own imp of the perverse, but if I were Cliff Lee I wouldn’t be able to resist messing with folks at this point. You know, show up at the grocery store in a D-backs ball cap or something. I predict the Rangers will make a strong offer but that Lee will be in Yankee’s pinstripes next year.

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4 Comments

I hope you’re right about Cliff Lee. In the meantime, the Yankees upped their offer to Jeter, so there’s movement on that front. Interesting how active the Dodgers have been so far this off-season, especially with their ownership in flux.

I hope I’m right about Cliff Lee too so the Yankees stay away from Carl Crawford :). Then again, now it sounds like if the Rangers can’t sign Cliff Lee they may go after Crawford too, which surprises me because their outfield is pretty tight…but then again, so is the Yankees’. All of the conflicting if/then signing possibilities of the offseason are so interesting, but more than somewhat maddening at times.

It’d be great to see Lee in a different cap every time he went out, much like the faux Jeter baseball cards circulating on the internet. I know this would never happen in a million years, but there would be no complaints on my end if Cliff Lee returned to the Mariners. I’d love to see him play in Seattle :) That being said, I hope he remains in Texas. I think the Yankees can manage just fine without him.

Westcoastgirl – Sort of an all MLB time-share on Cliff Lee then? I like it or, at least, it made me laugh which is the same thing in my book. In a perfect world, I wouldn’t mind seeing Lee go back to the Mariners at all. When trades and deals occur that naturally bring teams more in balance with one another, I think it’s a great thing and makes everyone more competitive which is more fun for the fans. But if the Yankees losing Lee will make them, as many have speculated, throw money at Carl Crawford, whom I covet for the Angels, then need him or not, I’m fine with them getting Lee. I am really mercenary in my thinking when it comes to the Angels.
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